The Victoria 2031 Foundation marked an important milestone this July by hosting its first international collaboration in Gozo, bringing together cultural professionals, artists, festival makers, policy makers, community workers and European partners for The Time We Spend Together: Gozo Forum 2026.
Held between 4 and 6 July 2026, the three-day forum and retreat was co-organised by the Victoria 2031 Foundation, the European Festivals Association, A Soul for Europe, and ARC Research & Consultancy, with the support of the Victoria Local Council, the Gozo Regional Council, the Ministry for Culture, Arts and the National Heritage, the Ministry for Gozo, Visit Gozo, and the European Union.
The forum brought the European conversation to Gozo while placing Gozo within wider European debates on culture, care, well-being and the future of public life. Across the programme, participants explored how festivals, cultural institutions and public authorities can contribute to more caring, connected and resilient communities, moving from personal reflection to structural questions in what was described as a laboratory for care.
A central moment in the programme was a panel discussion, About Europe: A Dialogue Between Arts and Politics, which brought together cultural and policy voices to reflect on Europe's future and the role of culture in democratic life, public policy, artistic freedom, care and international cooperation. Speakers included Kathrin Deventer, Secretary General of the European Festivals Association; Dr Samuel Azzopardi, Chair of the Victoria 2031 Foundation; Austin Camilleri, Artistic Director of Victoria 2031; Dr Nikki Petroni from Arts Council Malta; Francis Agius from Festivals Malta; Iris Jugo, representing Cáceres 2031 Candidate City for Spain; youth worker Jennifer Cauchi; and artist Sarah Vella, moderated by Davinia Galea, Founder and Managing Director of ARC Research & Consultancy.
Kathrin Deventer, Secretary General of the European Festivals Association, said: "Festivals are much more than places where art is presented. They are spaces where people come together, ideas are exchanged, and new relationships are formed across cultures and borders. 'The Time We Spend Together' in Gozo reflects our shared belief that meaningful international cooperation begins with listening, trust and encounters rooted in place. We are delighted to work alongside the Victoria 2031 Foundation and our partners in creating a space where cultural professionals from across Europe and Gozo can learn from one another, build lasting relationships, and discover the distinctive creativity and cultural richness that each brings to the exchange."
Dr. Samuel Azzopardi, Chair of the Victoria 2031 Foundation, shared: "This forum was more than a gathering of cultural professionals. It reflected Victoria 2031 Foundation's commitment to building the international partnerships, trust and long-term relationships that will underpin a credible, outward-looking and
people-centred candidature for the title of European Capital of Culture 2031. It also demonstrated how international collaboration can be rooted in place, creating meaningful exchanges that enrich both Gozo and Europe."
Mayor Brian Azzopardi added: "Hosting this forum reflects the direction Victoria has chosen for its future. Next week, we will launch the city's first Cultural Strategy, reaffirming our commitment to placing culture at the heart of Victoria's long-term development. Welcoming European partners to our city is an important step in building a more open, collaborative and internationally connected future, and in creating a lasting legacy through and beyond Victoria 2031."
With this first international collaboration now concluded, the Victoria 2031 Foundation continues to build a candidature for European Capital of Culture, that is both rooted in Gozo and outward-looking towards Europe, showing how a small island city can become a meeting point for European exchange, cultural cooperation and shared reflection on the futures we choose to build together.